Chief Justice Lahore High Court (LHC) Umar Ata Bandial has directed the federal government to apprise the court as to why the former chief of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Muhammad Saleem, was transferred when he was working to stop electricity theft.
The court also directed the government to inform it about the standards of appointment and removal of an officer from this post. The CJ was hearing a petition against loadshedding during Sehr and Iftar timings. Chairman Judicial Activism Panel (JAP), Azhar Siddique, had filed the petition saying that despite the claims of the federal government loadshedding was being carried out during Sehr and Iftar timings.
The court while adjourning further hearing of the petition till July 26, sought report from the federal government about steps taken to stop electricity theft by the electricity distribution companies. During the hearing, petitioner Muhammad Azhar Siddique alleged that Saleem was transferred for saving 17 megawatt electricity by stopping theft. He said such steps discouraged honest officers and they avoid taking action against the black sheep. The court remarked that it would intervene wherever it found violation of transparency.
The petitioner submitted the current level of load shedding exceeds 16 hours per day in the cities and was even worse in the rural areas. He submitted that the sufferings of public were increasing day by day on account of blackout for sixteen to eighteen hours in the province of Punjab. He prayed to the court to issue orders to National Transmission & Dispatch Company (NTDC), and Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) and other respondents to end loadshedding.